May 17, 2008 – May 17, 2013

Five years ago today I went under the knife for a double mastectomy. God has graced me with more blessings than I can count, through this roller coaster ride. Including new girls

I guess when you go through cancer, you keep these types of anniversaries in your mind.  Each one is a milestone and a reminder: to live each day to the fullest (no matter how corny that sounds).  

For those who are beginning their own healing journey, or are struggling through other “stuff”:  Breathe. Meditate. Pray. Laugh, in the face of it all.  Your attitude and your faith will get you to the other side. Don’t let the heaviness….weigh you down.

The Dali Lama says it best “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”

Whatever it is that you’re growing through at this moment….have faith that it’s all happening for a reason and that blessings will surface from the core of it.

My blessings and gifts were many. I learned that:

• I am loved and wasn’t alone (even though I am single and have no kids or siblings).
• I am strong and courageous.
• I have a deep faith that can get me through anything.
• It’s OK to receive.
• I don’t have to be in charge (the world will keep on spinning).
• Each day, each moment is precious….don’t waste it!
• It’s ridiculous to think that I’m in control….and that brought me (brings me) peace.

All I can control is how I respond to what life throws my way.  My choice is always JOY.  My choice is always to grow and become a better person. My choice is always to get to the other side…as gracefully as possible. 

Yes, I was shell-shocked when I heard the words “You have cancer”.  Yes, I saw my mom’s life and death flash before my eyes.  Yes, I was scared and sad.  Yet….I moved past it quickly and with determination to turn my cancer into a dance and to help others along the way.  Which is why I documented every moment.  My book, “The Cancer Dancer: Healing One Step at a Time” is available to help anyone going through this journey (including their caregivers).  PLEASE use it, recommend it.  It can help.

The Cancer Dancer on Amazon.com

Today, I celebrate 5 years from my double mastectomy and I say THANK YOU.  To my angels…to my healers….to my friends and family.  THANK YOU GOD……  Now I use my experiences to help others…to be of service.  And I try to laugh every day….though some days may be harder than others.  I still try…..and so…..I dance on.

Blessings and love to all.  Remember: JOY is a Choice.

Patricia San Pedro (Positively Pat)

BACKGROUND:

 1.       A scientist discovers a gene that is related to breast cancer, later another one (BRCA1 and 2)

2.       This is now at a company (Myriad) – they filed for patent rights for the GENEs not the metho.  THE GENE….inside the human body!!!

3.       US patent was granted years ago (I cannot believe that happened)

4.       International patent was NOT granted (rightly so)

5.       All patients who in the US have BRCA1/2 determination, have to pay (or their insurance has to pay) to be tested for this gene.  Testing is ONLY done by Myriad.

6.       All patients in the world can also get it for a much lower price since it is measured in a number of labs

7.       Now finally something is happening. This ridiculous issue has gone to the Supreme Court.  We need to make our voices heard. A human gene can not be patented. A method or procedure can…but not a gene.

 The Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments in a key case about whether or not human DNA could be patented by biomedical firms. Media coverage portrayed the justices as skeptical about the assertions of Utah-based Myriad Genetics Inc., which holds patents on two genes.

        The AP (4/15, Holland) reports that the Supreme Court “seemed worried” during Monday arguments “about the idea of companies patenting human genes.” Noting that the US Patent and Trademark Office “has been awarding patents on human genes for almost 30 years,” the AP adds that “opponents of Myriad Genetics Inc.’s patents on two genes linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer say such protection should not be given to something that can be found inside the human body.” Myriad argues that “the company’s genes can be patented because the DNA that Myriad isolated from the body has a ‘markedly different chemical structure’ from DNA within the body.”

        The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Bravin, Subscription Publication, 2.29M) reports that challengers to the Myriad patents, including a medical researchers’ group represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, argue the genes themselves, like all natural products, cannot be patented, but methods for isolating them or using them might be.

        The New York Times (4/16, Liptak, Subscription Publication, 1.68M) reports that in “lively” exchanges, the justices “struggled to find a narrow way to rule on the momentous question of whether human genes may be patented.” Noting that the court’s ruling “will shape the course of scientific research and medical testing,” and “may alter the willingness of businesses to invest in the expensive work of isolating and understanding genetic material,” the Times adds that the Obama Administration, through Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr., “largely supported” the challengers, and argued that the court’s ruling last year in Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories “suggested that the correct answer in the case argued Monday was that merely isolating a gene was not sufficient for patent protection.”

        USA Today (4/16, Wolf, 1.71M) reports, “Using analogies ranging from baseball bats to chocolate chip cookies, a majority of justices said Myriad Genetics’ isolation of the breast cancer genes was largely a force of nature, not invention. At the same time, the justices indicated a compromise could be in the works, siding with the company on its patent for a type of DNA that goes beyond merely extracting the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes from the body.”

        The Washington Post (4/16, Barnes, 489K) reports, “Even the normally confident justices expressed some trepidation as they considered the complexities of patent law and the mysteries of biochemistry.” The Post notes that the justices’ “caution is warranted,” as the ruling “could shape the future of medical and genetic research and have profound effects on pharmaceuticals and genetically modified crops.”

        The Los Angeles Times (4/16, Savage, 692K) reports, “During the argument Monday, most of the justices questioned the decision of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to grant Myriad Genetics a patent on two isolated gene sequences that signal a high risk of breast or ovarian cancer.” 

April 10, 2008 – April 10, 2013

 Five years ago today I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  My life has been one big whirl-a-twirl ride, filled with roller coaster loops, turns, and rolls ever since.  There have been extreme highs and a few menacing death drops.  Yes, breast cancer took me for a ride and changed my life forever: yet, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Maybe that’s exaggerating a bit.  I’m pretty sure I would not have chosen to get breast cancer….nor to be infused with chemo (Sacred Juice) for a year….nor to gain weight due to steroids…have my breasts cut off and rebuilt…lose my hair…put my business on hold…..on and on.  But all we’ve got are the cards we’re dealt…and what we do with them is our choice. That’s where choosing joy comes in.

 My gratitude for my healing overflows. I’ve written about it, talked about it, prayed over it….and will continue to do so.  I am blessed in more ways, than even I understand.

 Through cancer I’ve met unbelievable people, gained wisdom and insight and found purpose as I help others on their own healing journey.  Cancer, was an unexpected visitor, which brought me blessings and gifts disguised as infusions, needles, pills, stitches and scars. 

 Now…as I dance into the next phase of my life…I grab hold of family and friends and move on. I remind myself to cherish every moment, even when old patterns try to break in.  I bring with me all that I’ve learned and all that I treasure. 

 Five years ago today, cancer took center stage and captured my life’s spotlight.  Today, I shift it’s beam back into place…for it to shine brightly on:

 MUSIC.  DANCE.  PASSION PROJECTS.   MOUNTAINS.  CHOCOLATE.   FUN. 

 LOVE & PASSION.  TRAVELS.   MOVIES.  BOOKS.  PLAYTIME.   

 LAUGHTER (pant splitting, pee-dripping kind).

 FIRE CEREMONIES.  ANIMALS.  VACATIONS.  PHOTOGRAPHY.

 I am still here, passionately offering support to others on their own healing journey. But it’s a new day and Positively Pat is spreading her wings and taking in more: soaring higher and higher, spreading love, healing, peace, laughter, compassion, kindness and joy…while at the same time, mimicking the frolicking hummingbird and sucking the sweetest nectar from this beautiful life. 

 And so it is……………….

 Dance on!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Patricia San Pedro

 I’m perplexed…and honestly a little pissed off.  OK, I don’t really feel that pissed off…but my sense of fairness is heightened.

Why is there no male counterpart to cougar? I ain’t talking about the 4-legged type.

What the heck is wrong with this picture?

I demand equal rights.

Isn’t this the 21st Century?  Isn’t this a time of equality?

So, when a man dates a woman 20 years younger, it’s cool….manly…hot… They get winks of congratulations from their male friends. Even envied.

But when a woman dates someone even 10 years younger….she’s a cougar. She gets….”the look”.  Excuse me?

AND then….there is the word….matronly. When we say a woman is matronly, we can all pretty much picture her.

Merriam-Webster’s definition of Matronly is: having the character of or suitable to a matron   Examples of MATRONLY

1. She feared she was becoming a matronly old woman.
2. She wore a matronly blue dress.

First Known Use of MATRONLY:  1656

So where’s the male equivalent of matronly?  There isn’t one.

Hmmmmm…time for new words.

I say we create the word patronly.  Yeah…….let’s see….the definition will be: having the character of or suitable to an old man. Examples of PATRONLY

3. He feared he was becoming a patronly old man.
4. He wore a patronly blue suit.

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I like it.

Now it’s your turn.  We need an animal for the male version of Cougar.

What do you think?  Post your suggestions. 

Level playing field…that’s all I’m saying…….

Click Here:      2012 Peace Meditation

I’ve always believed that being of service is healing to the receiver as much as it is to the giver. So, as I received from my healers, friends and family….I gave….to those I didn’t know yet. However, I was a real pain in the butt, constantly asking my friends to videotape every aspect of my healing journey. In the hospital, at home, in parks, in cars, wherever. I drove them crazy.

I videotaped the rest myself…in the middle of the night, at home, in bed, in the shower, driving…everywhere. I knew what I HAD to do and no one was getting in the way. Yes, I’m an Aries.

Now four years later, I am humbled when I look back at the relentless support, love and care I received from so many people in my life and how they put up with me. As a single woman, with no kids, no mom, no siblings….I always wondered who would be there for me if I ever really got sick. Well….I don’t wonder anymore. It will take a lifetime to properly acknowledge and thank every person who was there for me during my one full year of treatment…through all my surgeries and 17 sessions of chemo…friends and family appeared and never left. And yes, we videotaped it all….to their mortification.

For three years, those tapes and DVDs sat in my closet. I was beginning to doubt my vision and think it was a wasted effort. And then, I had lunch with a friend who happened to work for Discovery. I told him about my videos and my dreams of turning it into a documentary. The short version of the story is that he made it happen…just like that. My documentary, The Cancer Dancer aired one year later and this past weekend it won a Suncoast Emmy Award in the Topical Documentary category. It was amazing and a joy. There were many, many people who helped bring this vision to air, but there is one person in particular I want to recognize today: I call her my Arch Angel, Tammi Leader Fuller.

Tammi and I met more than 20 years ago when we worked at WTVJ TV in Miami. She didn’t like me at first….she thought I was a bubble-head, I think. Must have been the long curly hair and my constant giggles. I was so happy to be working at this station, I couldn’t help it.

But it didn’t take long for us to develop a friendship that would last more than two decades. We’ve supported and loved each other through life’s ups and downs….marriages, births, family and friend’s deaths, agreements and disagreements, divorces, financial stresses, diseases, trans continental moves and so much more. We even co-wrote a book together called “Dish & Tell” along with four other women. We called ourselves the Miami Bombshells. Not because we looked like bombshells, but because we dropped bombshells every time we gathered. The book became Bombshells Musical.

And then we created Camp Bombshell, a weekend retreat for women only. The camps sparked a light in Tammi I hadn’t seen before. She had always loved her days at camp as a child and this took her right back. The last Camp Bombshell happened two weeks before my double mastectomy.

During my year of treatment, Tammi was there. She carried me on her wings to healing with her love, care and compassion. She cooked for me, took me to doctor appointments, hospital visits, and helped me videotape my entire journey. The truth is, even through the difficult moments of treatment and tapings, we had a blast. We laughed and spent real quality time with girlfriends. But it was constant…Tammi slaved over the videos logging them and organizing them when the chemo brain in me could hardly keep it straight. She worked relentlessly to make sure that we had all the video we needed…so that one day, my vision of documenting my journey to help others, would be realized by the publishing of a book and the airing of a documentary.

Now, both of those dreams have been realized. The Cancer Dancer book was released in 2010 and last year, my documentary aired on Discovery Home & Health in Latin America and Discovery Familia in the U.S. It took a village to make both of those happen: from volunteers around the world that I never met, to my co-producers at Discovery and Imagina U.S., to my volunteer videographer Dale West, editor Jaime Quintana and Lori Davis who organized the hundreds of DVDs that we shot during my journey. So many people…so much gratitude. But none of it could have happened without Tammi, who was the one and only one who believed in me and my vision enough to dedicate a full year of her life to documenting my journey with me. By the time my co-producers and I brought the documentary to air, Tammi had already moved to Los Angeles to follow her dreams. Which brings me to now.

Just like she helped me, I will try and help her. I’ll never come close to what she did for me…but this is one small attempt. So please read on. Tammi is bringing her dream to life and I want everyone I know to go. Her dream is called CAMPOWERMENT. A Malibu weekend retreat for sleep- deprived, stressed out women ready to rewrite their story (where makeup is discouraged and sweatpants required). I can hardly wait!!!!!

CAMPOWERMENT is a life-changing weekend of fun and games infused with group therapy on steroids. It’s a retreat where deep stuff can happen (or not – for some it’s a place to just unplug in nature or party with your girlfriends!

At CAMPOWERMENT, doctors, psychologists, coaches, healers and experts (I’m one of them), map out an easy to navigate GPS to help you simplify and redirect your life, dispensing do-able takeaways with the milk and cookies. Set on a magnificent hilltop 800 feet above the Pacific Ocean, this experience blends hilarious laughter with the inspiration found in nature, delivering the tools to teach you how to embrace what you want and bury what you don’t need in an entertaining, motivational, kumbaya kind of way. Camp is NOT just for kids anymore.

Join me at CAMPOWERMENT. You will not only have an opportunity to chill, relax and have fun in this beautiful setting….but you will be able to meet an angel called Tammi.

http://www.campowerment.com/Campowerment/Home.html

Come with girlfriends or come alone…maybe you’ll meet the friend of a lifetime there.

And remember….tell your friends and family how you feel about them. Express your love and gratitude. Every day is a gift.

I wish you health, peace, abundance, s’mores and campfires and the love of a real friend. There is no greater gift.

In Joy, Pat

Here’s a short video of Pat winning her Emmy….in joy! Pat’s Acceptance Speech at Emmy Awards

The documentary was aired by Discovery Familia and Discovery Home & Health. It followed Pat’s healing journey through breast cancer. 

The documentary was co-produced by Pat’s Production and Communications Company www.SanPedroProductions and Imagina U.S.

Special thanks to all who contributed:

Henry Martinez

Tammi Leader Fuller

Lori Davis

Dale West

Jaime Quintana

Imagina U.S.

Jaime Escalona

Discovery

-Systems has received approval from the FDA for its somo•v Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) system for breast cancer screening as an adjunct to mammography for asymptomatic women with dense breast tissue. The ABUS system previously received approval for this indication in Canada and Europe. In the U.S., the device was earlier only approved for use in these women for diagnostic purposes.

The extended approval makes the target group of women much larger. Mammography is the standard imaging modality for breast cancer screening, but it is not as effective in visualizing suspicious lesions when the breast tissue is very dense. Ultrasound is more sensitive in these cases and U-Systems claims the automated device is able to detect 30 percent more cancers compared to mammography alone.

Normal ultrasound is very labor-intensive, so while it is an excellent tool for diagnosis, it is less suitable for high-volume screening purposes. The automated system overcomes this limitation, automatically scanning the whole breast after the technician has positioned the transducer, capturing multiple ultrasound images and instantly generating a 3D visualization. As an additional benefit, the standardized image capturing enhances reproducibility and makes it possible to assess lesion location by giving the distance from nipple and skin and clock position for any point in the images.

 Automated Breast Ultrasound

PERSONAL NOTE:  This is huge, I think.  I had dense breasts and I learned back then that anyone who has them, really needs an ultra sound, in addition to mammogram, MRI and possibly other diagnostic tools.  I asked my oncologist Dr. Gluck about this today and he said:  Yes, this is diagnostic. But one needs (if suspicious) additional views or methods.  RIGHT.  But this is big news!!

No Matter How Many Reasons You Have Not To Be.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

B

But I’ve noticed that for many…it replaces face time.  THAT I don’t think is a healthy thing. Same with texting.  I still prefer the sounds of my friend’s voice.  Texting is just so….well….impersonal. 

So I’m going to try to turn over a new leaf.  More face time with those that I love.  Because truly, that’s the MOST important thing that matters to me in life.

I am making a conscious decision to disconnect a bit from electronics.  Months ago I also started NOT working weekends anymore.  It’s easy to work all the time if you own your business.  But guess what? Work-related emails can wait till Monday.  The world will keep spinning. 

My focus now…more then ever…is on the “touch and feel” life in front of me.  To take time for me…and my family…and friends….and remaining pets.  To nourish my soul in simple ways…like gardening and planting new flowers. To dance…to have fun. To help others on their healing journey.  To follow my passions.

Life is a gift. Sometimes it seems that we’re in a perpetual competition to see who has more stress and craziness in their life. 

NOT ME. 

Enjoy every single delicious moment of your life. It’s a gift.  Reconnect (physically and in person) with the people that you love.  Keep your phones in the car.  You will be amazed at how much fun you can actually have talking to people…and just hanging out.  We can check emails and status updates later…when we’re alone. 

Here’s to disconnecting (a bit)…in order to re-connect. 

Sending you love, blessings and wishes for peace, health, happiness and true harmony and balance.

Pat

How do we deal with sadness…whether it’s the loss of a loved one, scary news about our own health or whatever it may be.  How do we remain at peace and calm?

 I don’t have a magic pill. All I know is what works for me which is this:

• Feel all the emotions fully.  I cried like a baby when Chloe passed.  Grieving is good. It shows you’ve loved so deeply that you now mourn deeply. This is a blessing.

• Savor the grief. I know it sounds so bizarre, but savoring it means this: feeling such deep emotions reminds us that we are alive. Awake. Full of life…no matter what.  We are able to feel emotions. This is a good thing. Even if the emotions are difficult. They will pass.

• Then at the right time, before it becomes unhealthy for you…you move past it.  You leave the deep sadness behind and you and keep the love that nurtures you. That never dies.  You focus on the peace and the Divine light within you.  It’s all about where we put our focus.  I could think of Chloe gasping for her last breaths nonstop (which I’m trying NOT to do)…or I could focus on the love and joy we shared for 12 years. THAT is what I’m trying to focus on.  I know that in a few days…that is ALL that I will remember. And that will fill my heart with joy, peace, comfort and warmth.

 I’m sharing my story with you, with the hopes that it will help you with whatever difficult situation you might be grappling with at this moment.  It’s also a reminder that every single moment is precious.  It’s a gift.  We shouldn’t throw them away worrying and stressing about stuff that really doesn’t matter.

 Life is a roller coaster.  Cling to peace… no matter where the ride takes you.

Love, joy and blessings,

 Pat

The diagnosis. Prognosis. Risks. Stats. 17 sessions of Sacred Juice (chemo)….blood tests, Pet Scans, MRI’s…the watching…waiting….praying….laughing….crying….celebrating.  So many memories. So many emotions. 

As I walk in the doors I see others who remind me of what I used to look like back then:  Bald. Pale. Exhausted.  

But I was also happy.  Joyful.  Grateful.  I really did party my way through chemo with my beautiful compassionate friends who brought me to each and every session.  Who would have thought that receiving chemo could be so much fun?  Don’t get me wrong….physically, it was exhausting at times.  But emotionally and spiritually…it was charged with joy and love.  

I’m 4 years out: it makes me a 4 year survivor.  Though I really don’t like that term. I’m just…me.  Alive. Healthy. Thriving. Living and doing my best to serve others. Trying to help those who are going through their own healing journey. 

I dropped off a few copies of my book, The Cancer Dancer, and a ton of book marks. Hoping to distribute the books to every single cancer patient. I believe that it really can help them.  That’s why I took 3 years to write it.  And why I videotaped every moment of my journey.

Dr. Gluck said I was healthy. I knew that.  But of course, it’s always nice to hear those words.  And so…life goes on.  Living in gratitude and continuing to trust that everything happens as it does for a reason.

Another beautiful day to be grateful and alive.

I send you all my love and blessings.

Make the most of this day!!!

Pat

And then, just as quickly as everything changed, a feeling of peace swept over me.  And I made a decision: This journey will be joyful.  It will be filled with amazing gifts and blessings.  I will videotape every moment to share with others. Even though I have no idea what the outcome will be…I will be positive and use the experience to grow, learn and serve.

I don’t know why I did this, but I did.   And so it was.  These pictures were taken 4 hours after my diagnosis. 

My family, friends and healers carried me on their wings to health.  God and all my angels blessed me with health and a healing journey filled with laughter and peace. 

My life is better now than it ever was before.  I live differently.  I think differently.  I take nothing for granted.  I strive to find peace even in the midst of turmoil.  I stay away from toxic people and situations.  I live a life on purpose and share my journey in order to help others.  I focus on what’s good, not on what’s difficult or negative.  I’ve learned that what you focus on, becomes your reality.  

I now give myself permission to explore passions such as photography.  What happened when I did that?  My friends at Books & Books let me exhibit them in Coral Gables.  And now, this coming fall, I will have my next Discover Your Doorway exhibit at Hamilton Gallery in Ft. Lauderdale.  Who woulda thunk?

This past October Discovery aired a documentary on my healing journey and my book The Cancer Dancer was just released.  HOW INCREDIBLY INCREDIBLE is this?!!!!

I’ve met courageous women on this path…we’ve become friends…more than friends…they are the Link of Hope Sistas.  Together, we now empower, educate and encourage others who are walking the breast cancer journey. 

I’ve been touched by compassionate strangers who volunteered their time and talents to help me launch my book, without a budget.  The amazing thing is that I had never met any of them in person before. Angels.  All angels.

So today I celebrate 4 years since a life-changing event that has bared more fruit than I could eat in a lifetime.  Sure, it would have been great to have learned all these lessons, met all these great people and received so many blessings without having to go through cancer.  But this was my path. 

I hope that we can prevent cancer by living healthy lives.  By paying attention to what we eat. How we exercise. Do we meditate and make time for peace, harmony and balance in our lives? That’s what all of us need to do.  But I accepted my dance with cancer and now I thank God every moment of every day.

Thank you for being a part of my life. Together, we can impact the world in a positive way.  Let’s do it together.  And remember….Joy is a Choice!

Love & Light,

Pat

Thank you mami and papi. I wouldn’t be here were it not for you.  Mami – I know you’re still with me…celebrating and dancing up in the heavens watching over me.

Life is a beautiful roller coaster. I am grateful for all the ups and even the downs, they make me the appreciate the ups, even more.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Gratitude fills my heart

Happy…..just because.

More on this cool show on this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/12/venus-jupiter-conjuncton_n_1338998.html

 I will not live an unlived life.

I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.

I choose to inhabit my days,

To allow my living to open me,

To make me less afraid,

More accessible;

To loosen my heart until it becomes

a wring, a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance,

to live so that which came to me as seed

goes to the next as blossom,

And that which came to me as blossom,

goes on as fruit.

Dawna Markova

Plus, I’ve picked up a few more tips from other friends…who I think “got it right”.

It’s about living life differently so that it won’t be disease that leads us to a more stress-free, peaceful healthy life.

Celebrate Life!

Stop making yourself crazy by running, rushing and doing. Make time to “just be”.

Learn to balance.

Eat Healthy and lose weight if you have to.

Stop smoking if you smoke.

Exercise!!!!

Don’t stress. Live in the now; that’s all any of us really have. Be happy.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Enjoy your life! It’s a beautiful thing.

You’ve been given the gift of life. Honor it.

Celebrate every day as your Re-Birthday! Live in gratitude.

Visit the Playtime page of my website to see how some of us have fun…even in the midst of treatment.

Playtime